yan stone



(No Model.)

B. D. VAN STONE.

GRATE.

Patented Mar. 31,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVIN D. VAN STONE, OF UTIOA, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO RUSSEL \VHEELER AND FRANK E. \VHEELER, OF SAME PLACE.

GRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,641, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed April 15, 1890. Serial No. 347,977. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN D. VAN STONE,

specific description here; but in order that my invention may be more readily comprehended, I will state that it relates to improvements in the class of rocking-bar and dumping grates shown in the United States Letters Patent granted toJl N. Long, dated December 23, 1884, and numbered 309,789, although many features of my invention may be employed in other forms of grate as well.

In the drawings hereof the same referenceletters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of the grate. Fig. 2 illustrates a vertical sectional view on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the grate-bars in one of their extreme tilted posi-.

tions. Fig. 4 illustrates an elevation of the front of the grate-bar frame. Fig. 5 illustrates a front view of the key-plate and shaker. Fig. 6 illustrates a partially-sectional view of the rear end of the central grate-bar, showing its construction and method of engagement with the grate-bar frame.

A is the grate-bar frame. 13 are inwardlyprojecting fingers at the sides thereof.

0 are the grate-bars. They are preferably made as shown best in Fig. 2, having an upwardly-extending rib D, which is flush with the upper edge of the fingers, hereinafter to be described, and at the base of the ribs D there are laterally-extending edges E, which stiffen the bar and also give more air-supply at the fire-line, because the coal will mainly at lea-st be supported by the upper surface of the ribs.

F are fingers, preferably but not necessathe top of the rib D on the grate-bars.

rily staggered along the sides of each gratebar, those on one bar interlocking with those on contiguous bars, as shown. These fingers have, preferably, the same formation of their upper parts as the grate-barsthat is to say, an upwardly-extending rib G and ledges H belowfor the reasons above stated; and also the upper surface of the ribs are preferably struck on the are of a circle, so that they practically run out to nothing at the ends of the fingers and join flush with The bars are given the arched cont-our, so that therewill be lateral movement of the most elevated part of the bars-x1e, the part over their aXesbut not at their ends, where the circles defined by their movement intersect, so that they, when rocked, will not pinch or crush the clinkers, and also that they may more readilyfree themselves of ashes, and in order to accomplish this I set the center of the trunnions I, which are at the ends of the grate-bars, on or above a line drawn from the extreme ends of oppositely-projecting fingers on each bar, as shown at J, Fig. 2, and in order that there may be always the same degree of opening between the bar D and the ends of the fingers, and also between the ends of the fingers and the grate-bar frame, I make the outer ends K of the fingers on an arc of a circle struck from the center of the trunnions of the bar to which the fingers are attached.

The central bar 0' is provided at the front end with an extended trunnion G which projects through the front of the ash-pit and beyond the same far enough to attach a crank thereto for rocking the bars and dumping the grate, and at its other end (see Fig. 6) there is another trunnion G which enters a hole in the grate-bar frame, and there is a shoulder C made on this center bar at the base of the trunnion G which, as hereinafter stated, by its impingement against the inner side of the grate-bar frame prevents rearward movement of the entire set of bars, and at the opposite side of the grate-bar frame there is a trunnion L, on which the grate as a whole can be turned to effect the dumping operation. The trunnions I on the grate-bars, other than the central one, are entered into bearings in the grate-frame in any desired manner; but I prefer a special form of bearing, which is as follows: At the rear end of the bars I form holes N in the grate-bar frame, and at the opposite ends I leave an open bearing 0 at the inner top surface of the frame, which has a part P of the frame beneath it to sustain the trunnions, and also I so cast the frame that the journal is partly covered as at 0. Thus the trunnions of the gratebars when introduced will be, first entered into the rear holes N and then dropped into the open bearing 0, and then drawn forwardly under the covered part of the bearing 0', and they will be held in this position by the connecting-bar R, which is bolted to depending arms S on the under side of each of the gratebars. There may be one or more of these arms S. Thus it will be obvious that the trunnions of the grate-bars cannot escape from their journals even when the grate is turned over, because the central grate-bar C is prevented from as much longitudinal movement as the others in any desired manner. The preferred way is shown in Fig. 1-i. e. the central bar is made of such length that the shoulder at its rear end will almost if not quite be in contact with the grate-frame adjacent to the bearing for its trunnion when it is in place. Thus when the other bars are likewise in place and the connecting-barRin engagement with their several arms S, then the impact of the shoulder on the central bar against the grate-frame will preclude rearward movement of all the bars. By this construction I avoid the use of clamps to hold the bars in place.

In order to prevent the grate from turning over until desired, I provide a bracket U, caston one side of the ash-pit, and a rod V, movable through an opening in the ash-pit, which is provided with a suitable handle \V on the exterior, whereby it may be moved in and out. It may be limited in its movement in any preferred manner. The central bar 0 is journaled at its rear end in the gratebar frame the same as the others; but at its front end it passes below the grate-bar frame and has its bearings partly in it and partly in the clamp X, which holds it in place, and in order that the oscillation of the grate-bars may be limited, so that there shall be no possibility of clinker-s or coal becoming jammed in the grate, I provide shoulders E E 011 the clamp X, which engage with a stop (such, for example, as a pin F, see Fig. 4.-) on the central bar 0'. Any other suitable means may, however, be employed for this purpose.

In order that the connecting-bar B may serve as a support or truss to prevent sagging of the grate-bars, they (the grate-bars) should always be left in a horizontal position. To secure this end, I provide a keyplate or escutcheon A, fastened to the front of the heater, through which I prefer that the end of the central grate-bar 0 should slightly project, and I cut out a notch 13 from the edge of the hole in the key-plate,

bar C.

through which a projection D on the shaker passes to fully engage it with the end of the It will thus be seen that the gratebars, after the shaking operation and upon the removal of the shaker, will always be left in a horizontal position.

The operation of my improved apparatus is suifieiently obvious from the foregoing without special description; but I desire to point out some of the advantages which I secure over any other form known to me. I remove the clamp heretofore used to attach the central bar 0 to the grate-bar frame from the upper side thereof, where it had to support the entire front half of the grateframe and side bars and was peculiarly liable to fracture, and place it on the under side, where all it has to do is to prevent displacement of the central bar. I entirely avoid the use of clamps at the rear ends of the bars; also, my key-plate always insures the proper position for the grate-bars, where by it will be impossible after shaking to leave them with their fingers projecting upwardly into the fire, where they would or might be burned off, and also I secure the said trusslike action of the connecting-bar R for the support of the grate-bars; also, by avoiding the use of clamps to hold the bars in place, I materially simplify the manufacture and strengthen the parts; also, by limiting the oscillation of the grate-bars I render it impossible for any person, however ignorant or careless he may be, to manipulate the grate so that clinkers or coal shall jam or clog the bars.

I claim- 1. A grate-bar having laterally-extending fingers, the upper surface of both the bar and the fingers consisting of a rib raised above the bar and the fingers, respectively, the rib on the bar being not lower than that on the fingers, and shoulders below the ribs, substantially as set forth.

2. A grate-bar having laterally-extending fingers, the upper surface of both bar and fingers consisting of a raised rib narrower than the body of the bar and the fingers, respectively, and the rib on the bar being not lower than that on the fingers, and the upper surface of the fingers being curved, so that the extremities of the fingers on opposite sides of the bar are approximately in the same plane as the center of the axis of the bar, substantially as set forth.

3. A grate comprising, essentially, side bars provided with laterally extending fingers, which. are journaled in closed sockets in the grate-frame, a central grate-bar having less longitudinal movement than the side bars, depending arms from all of the bars, and a connecting-bar uniting all of the said depend ing arms, substantially as set forth.

4-. The combination, in a heating apparatus, of a grate having rocking bars, depending arms therefrom, a connecting-bar attached to the depending arms and adapted to support or truss the grate-bars between their ends, and means whereby the shaker cannot be removed. unless the connection between the connecting-bar and the depending arms is at or near the same vertical plane with the center of the grate-bars, substantially as setforth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this lth day of April, A. D. 1890.

E. D. VAN STONE.

Witnesses:

PHILLIPS ABBOTT, FREDERICK SMITH. 

